From the Pitch to the Runway: Footballers Take Over Milan Fashion Week
Football shirts are usually seen under stadium lights. This week, they appeared under a different kind of spotlight. At Vogue World: Milano, players from AC Milan and Inter swapped the pitch for the runway, bringing football directly into the opening night of Milan Fashion Week.
On September 22, Vogue World’s fifth edition took place at Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, celebrating Italian fashion, craftsmanship and creativity while bringing together prominent designers, models, international stars and athletes.
Inter Take Their Colours to the Runway
Representing Inter were Benjamin Pavard, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Inter Women’s Angelica Montaperto. Instead of traditional runway looks, the three players walked in Inter’s match shirts, bringing the club’s iconic colours to life in a high-fashion setting.
For Pavard in particular, the appearance attracted attention beyond Italy. Vogue France highlighted the French defender’s turn as a model, as he walked alongside Çalhanoğlu and Montaperto beneath the Galleria’s glass dome.
For Inter, the appearance was also about the club’s connection to its home city. The club described fashion as part of Milan’s identity and presented its Vogue World participation as another way to connect football with culture and creativity beyond the game.
AC Milan Join the Show
Their city rivals were represented too. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Milan Futuro captain Lorenzo Ossola and AC Milan Women’s Ashley Hu all stepped onto the Vogue World runway.
For Loftus-Cheek, it was a first. The midfielder saw the experience as an opportunity to represent Milan in a completely different setting. It was a world far removed from the football pitch.
Ossola also embraced the chance to step outside his usual sporting environment. For him, it offered a glimpse into another side of Milan’s culture. Hu, meanwhile, described walking on a global stage in the Milan shirt as a special opportunity.
The six footballers were not the only athletes involved. Vogue World also featured volleyball stars Paola Egonu and Myriam Sylla. Olympic speed skater Arianna Fontana and Paralympian Veronica Yoko Plebani also took part. Their involvement made sport a visible part of the evening, rather than simply a front-row presence.
When the Football Shirt Becomes Fashion
Seeing Milan and Inter shirts on a Vogue runway says something about how the role of the football shirt continues to change.
Once primarily associated with the pitch and the stands, the jersey has increasingly found a place within everyday fashion and wider popular culture.
At Vogue World, that transition became unusually literal: professional footballers walked through one of Milan’s most recognisable fashion locations wearing the same identities they represent every weekend.
And perhaps no city could make the crossover feel more natural than Milan. Home to two of Europe’s most recognisable football clubs and some of the world’s most influential fashion houses, the city allowed the two worlds to share the same runway for one night.
This time, the players were not watching Fashion Week from the front row. They were part of the show.
Ready for more?
Want to see more of football’s growing influence on fashion? Read how Rafael Leão stepped onto the runway for adidas at Milan Fashion Week.
From standout player looks to major campaigns and collaborations, discover more stories where football meets style in our Fashion & Style section.
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